Facelift

Who here has had a face and neck lift?

may I ask how long the surgery was, amount of pain, cost, and if you like your results?

Thank you!

I had a lower facelift and lower eyelids done about two years ago.  Total cost in So Cal was about $13,000.

I was on the operating table for about 4.5 hours and went home the same day.  The pain wasn't all that bad -- the worst part was the psychological shock of looking in the mirror post-op and seeing all the swelling and bruising!  I looked like a moon-faced stranger!  LOL  I was pretty well out of it for 3-4 days, was up and around and could go out in public with dark glasses and a scarf after a bit over a week, and went back to work after 2 weeks.  If I had it to do over again I'd have taken three weeks off because I was still a little swollen and although the bruises were pretty well faded after 2 weeks, it was a near thing and I was super stressed out about the prospect of going back to work with bruises.

I am THRILLED with the results.  After I lost my weight, my double chins turned into a big ol' wobbly "turkey neck," and the lower facelift took care of that as well as the "marionette lines" from nose to the corners of my mouth, and my little jowls.  Lower eyelids also turned out great, and if I had it to do over again I'd probably have done upper eyelids, too.

Bottom line: It was much, much, MUCH more painful and expensive than my VSG, but I am super happy with how it turned out and am super glad I did it.  I loved my surgeon and I'm having him do a tummy tuck at the end of August!

I did not realize the facelift was such a long surgery. My plastic surgeon put me down for 4-hours. As he does not specialize in faces, I thought it may be that it was taking him a little longer. I might want the upper eyes or brow lift done, too. I just think it may look incomplete if I get only the face and neck. He said that I had some droopiness in my upper eyelids but that I did not have to do them. And I have lines across my forehead that are harder to see now that I have a tan but pretty clear when I am not tan. I have dark circles under my eyes and thought that fat injections might help here. I am not in favor of fillers unless it is my own fat, and I am not in favor of Botox. I would like to explore fat injections into my lips to make them larger, but I am not in favor of restalyn (sp). 

Most of all I hate my jowling, marionette lines, and fat neck.

how is your numbness?

I had numbness in the lower half of my face for about a year.  It's gone now.  I did have some pain in my left ear for quite a while, but it's gone now, too.

I had a full neck & face lift including upper and lower eyelids, w/o the brow lift.

I was in surgery almost 7 hours.  I think the FL is $6500, but because I'd had my body work done 4 days before it was $3200.  The pain was more than all the body work.  The nerves seem closer to the surface with the face.  The ears pinned back against my ears and the scars in my hairline below my ears and above were painful.  Folks are now using soft earplugs, tampons or ??? to hold the ear away from the stitches.  I bruise and did have bruises for about 3 weeks.  Love my new face.  Dr Sauceda does a great face. 

I think that I will be like you with the pain, Chris. That is just an assumption. Your results are a dramatic change and that is what I am looking for. I have many of the same issues that you do. Are your marionette lines gone when you are not smiling? How about the two fat deposits beneath your bottom lip (sorry but I have these, too)? Did he cut your hair for the surgery?

I still have a few fine lines when I'm not smiling but they aren't too bad.  I didn't even notice that I'd had two fat pockets under my bottom lip.  Those are gone.  Dr S also inject some of my fat into the lines on the side of my mouth.  He redid it in Jan too.  Fat that is injected sometimes will get reabsorbed.  The butt flaps don't seem to be changing though. 

No cutting of the hair with the facelift, although I'd had a mole next to my ear and asked if that could be removed...it's gone.  I think I posted some back of ear pics a few months back.

When I came out of surgery, my eyes stung and when I complained of the sting and the pain, I was out for a bit longer, as cold compresses were put on my eyes and a shot of something to stop the pain.  That night, Paty (Dr Sauceda's wonderful nurse who comes to the hotel daily to help you shower and get ready for day) was on her night shift and she made me lay down once an hour and put cold compresses on my eyes for 10min, all night long.  I think it helped the swelling.  Plus, it felt really soothing and nice. 

I did see your extensive photo collection and they were very helpful. 

That sounds wonderful to have a nurse taking care of you every day. I will be staying with a friend but I do not expect her to take care of me. 

Paty comes for about an hour to help you shower, puts the ointment on the stitches, checks your drains, and gets you back into the compression garments.  She also removes drains and stitches.  You can take care of yourself, but it's very helpful having her there.  Plus, I had problems until about 3 weeks out, before I could get into my compression garment by myself.